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Maynia -- Day Nine -- 1,870 words
“Diana just got a report about a traffic incident that I know matched the description of Luke’s car. I don’t know anymore details than that and if the second vehicle they found is involved in the same accident.” Jack kept on saying as he drove down the road, with Diana having left ahead of us as we were stalled by the Mayor.
I didn’t reply and just clenched my hands on my lap, hoping nobody got seriously hurt because at the back of my mind, I knew this had something to do with the tower’s malfunction.
I spied Jack give me a cursory glance before focusing his gaze back on the road. He took a hand off the steering wheel as he held one of my hands in his own in a reassuring grip. “The medics were already on their way before we left. Don’t worry about it.”
I only had a few second to glance down and see our intertwined hands before he awkwardly cleared his throat and quickly removed his hand from mine. I suddenly felt like I missed the warmth his touch provided as I held the hand he touched. Life is confusing with Jack; he’s like two different persons at times and it’s giving me whiplash.
I saw the flashing ambulance lights before I spied the white Sedan placed dangerously close to the mountain’s edge; if it wasn’t for the safety barriers, the car would have gone over the edge. I felt Jack slowing to a stop and promptly got out of the car before he even turned off the engine.
I started running towards the ambulance as I saw someone being placed on a stretcher, before recognizing Dr. Bliant was on it, his eyes closed as he groaned and held his head. “Dr. Bliant! What happened to him?!” I frantically tried asking the medics but they were already too busy strapping him in.
“He sprained his left wrist and possibly got a nasty bump to the head, but he’ll be fine.” I heard a voice answer from behind me and quickly turned around and saw Luke, aside from the bandage on his left temple, he seemed overall fine. I hugged him before I could stop myself, “Luke! Thank god you’re alright!” I said into his chest as I held onto his shirt.
I just had felt his arms wrap around me when I heard a deep voice speak up, “So I’m hoping I get that sort of greeting too, huh?” I felt Luke’s arms tighten around me slightly just as I glanced up from him, seeing Mr. Clancy with his arm held to me as he looked at me hopefully.
Grinning at him good-naturedly as I stepped out of Luke’s arms before greeting him as such, it was only then that I noticed that his right arm was put in a makeshift cast. I looked up at him questioningly, but he only shrugged at me with his good arm saying, “You could say my bulky ass saved us from going over the one side.”
Gently laughing at his crass way of saying things just as Jack came over and greeted them, “Told you not to worry. These guys, they’re like cats.” Jack said as he gently clapped Luke on his shoulder, catching as his gaze lingered on his friend’s arm wrapped around me.
“Why? ‘Cuz we got nine lives?” Mr. Clancy asked good-naturedly.
“Nah, it’s because you’ll always land on your feet.” Jack met his gaze as he held a small smile. It was then that Mr. Clancy let go of me and moved towards Jack just to bump him with his good arm in greeting.
“Wish I could say the same for Luke here. He’s like a turtle who’ll land on his back and probably stay that way! HA!” I watched Mr. Clancy let out a big laugh as Luke started to protest, Jack being the silent friend who only shook his head at their antics.
Seeing their familiar interactions with each other, knowing they grew up together, I then realized something. It was the same feeling that I felt as I watched the fireflies in that first town where I activated my first tower, just before I left. I was only here temporarily.
I couldn’t ruin their friendship by coming between them; by being with any one of them. I wouldn’t.
“You guys get on that ambulance so they can properly fix you up, that means you Z. I’ll be by the hospital later for some questions.” Jack said as he ushered his friends into the aforementioned vehicle.
“Excited for our interrogation later, Sheriff.” Mr. Clancy had one last say before the doors were shut close as the ambulance pulled away from the scene. I noticed the still ongoing chaos however, just before an officer jogged over to Jack.
“Sheriff! We found a body!”
The body they found turned up to be that of Mrs. Twiddle, tracing the skid marks made by the car just on the edge of the road, before it stopped where she crashed into a huge oak. The impact wasn’t the one that killed her though, seeing the abrasions on her body were not to any critical parts, the investigators ruled it out as heart attack prior to the crash.
Despite the unfortunate circumstance that Mrs. Twiddle met, Augustus was surprisingly very much fine. Looking tousled inside his carrier, Augustus made it easier for the officers to locate the car with his shrill barks heard through the cracked windows.
But something wasn’t adding up, and I was curious as to what triggered Mrs. Twiddle’s heart attack. Investigators can add it up to her old age, but I knew better when I saw her dead open eyes seemingly frozen in terror.
“I told you to wait for me in the car.” I heard Jack grumble as he continued driving, there he was again, Mr. Hot-and-Cold. He must have taken my silence at having been shaken over seeing a dead body. If only he knew..
I decided to just brush him off as he turned into my driveway and pulled to a stop. I got out of the car just as he turned off the engine and I started walking towards the front door. I pressed the doorbell twice, to signal Ms. Chip to hurry but knew she wasn’t fast enough, and I had to face Jack as I felt him stand a few inches behind me on the porch.
“Shiela.. I’m sorry, you really didn’t have to see that..”
“I know what I saw. You don’t have to apologize for something I insisted on tagging along to.” I still didn’t face him as I decided to rummage into my bag for my house keys. Ms. Chip was definitely taking her time.
“Yeah I know, it’s just that..” I heard him take a deep breath before he continued, “About last night—”
I immediately stopped in my search and turned around to face him, “You really want to talk about that now??” I asked him with an incredulous look on my face. He had the decency to look ashamed but looked like he still wanted to say something, I anticipated it by speaking at the same time he spoke up.
“It’s just a kiss.”
“I liked it."
Guess who said which. I actually couldn’t help the shock forming on my face at his blatant admission. This guy didn’t beat around the bush. He shook his head at me and insisted for me to hear him out, “I like you, Shiela. I know you just got here two nights ago, and yeah we technically just met yesterday, but should there really be a length of time for a person to know he’s met someone special? Someone who I know will bring a lot of change in my life.”
Jack looked at me earnestly, panting slightly as he let all that out in one rush. I softened my gaze at him, “Jack—” I saw him smile slightly as I used his first name, almost not wanting to say what I’d say next. Almost. “I’m not staying in Samheinrock—”
“Then let me give you a reason to stay—” I shook my head at what he was trying to say, deftly backing away as he tried to reach out for me.
“There’ll come a time when I’ll need to leave, Jack. And once I leave town, you’ll start forgetting about all of this. About me.” I gazed at him sadly, willing him to understand. Don’t get too close, Shiela. Don’t get them involved.
It was then that Ms. Chip opened the door and gave a surprised look between the two of us, “I wasn’t interrupting anything was I, dearies?
“Sheriff Heins was actually just leaving.” I still kept my gaze on Jack and saw that now familiar tick his jaw made every time he was frustrated with something. I thanked him quickly for the ride today before taking my leave as I passed by Ms. Chip and ran up to my room like a coward.
And maybe for once, I agreed.
I’d thought I already eradicated every last one of them.
You need to aim for the head! Don’t ever falter!
Silver is their enemy, but it’ll be your friend from now on.
Let the metal absorb your blood. That’s the only way to activate it, the only way you’ll keep them locked in.
They came after your mother because of me! You need to learn to protect yourself!
Don’t get too close, Shiela. Don’t get them involved.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
I stared through the holes I made at the target’s head, wisps of memories from long past only heightening my senses, “You really should press the buzzer when entering here, Ms. Chip.” I lowered my gun as well as my earmuffs as I heard her coming down the basement.
“As if you could really shoot me now, not when I brought desserts!” Ms. Chip huffed as she made her way down the stairs carrying a tray of her goodies. I took off my safety glasses before running up the stairs to meet her halfway and just carry the tray for her.
She smiled at me in thanks but clearly had something bothering her, I waited for her to voice it out as I sat down and helped myself to a brownie, savoring the crunchy outside before reaching its rich chocolate center. Yeah, Ms. Chip can cook!
“I heard about today—after the inauguration. I just don’t understand why something like that would happen right after you activated the tower. I mean, it was already supposed to be enough to keep those demons at bay the moment that tower was even placed in town! It should have eradicated them all together unless—”
Suddenly, the brownie seemed too gooey for me and I reached for my cup Ms. Chip had just poured tea into. Hm, Lavender.. It should have helped calm the rage I felt simmering inside, at the thought that someone, here in Samheinrock, would be foolish enough to want to be controlled by those bloodsucking parasites.
Someone who summoned a bigger portal for more of them to come through.
to be continued...
Image from Pixabay, by Phan Minh Cuong An: https://pixabay.com/users/minanfotos-9565064/ (edited with dreamscopeapp)